Drug substance interaction and generic substance information retrieval
View Patent ↗A data processing system configured for computer visualization of drugs for drug interaction information retrieval is disclosed. For each of multiple different substances and using a camera within the mobile or other computing device, imagery of at least one external characteristic of a physical body of the substance is acquired. An identity of each of the multiple different substances is determined based upon the at least one external characteristic from the acquired imagery. Drug interaction data is retrieved for each of the multiple different substances using the determined identities. Drug interaction data for at least one of the multiple different substances is correlated with at least one other of the multiple different substances. At least one generic substance and/or cost information of at least one of the multiple different substances is identified. The correlated drug interaction data, the at least one generic substance, and/or the cost information are displayed.
1. A computer-implemented method for computer visualization of drugs for drug interaction, generic substance information retrieval and drug pricing information retrieval, comprising:
receiving, via a marshalling apparatus, a plurality of different substances and isolating, via the marshalling apparatus, individual ones of the different substances for imaging by a camera and defining a marshalling point, wherein the camera is positioned to focus on the marshalling point;
using a processor communicatively coupled to a data store of drug image data, a data store of generic substance data, a data store of drug interaction, and a data store of pricing information for brand name drugs and generic substances, wherein the processor is configured to:
acquire, for each of the plurality of different substances and using the camera, images of at least one external characteristic of a physical body of the substance;
determine an identity of each of the plurality of different substances based upon the at least one external characteristic from the acquired images;
retrieve drug interaction data for each of the plurality of different substances using the determined identities;
retrieve pricing information for each of the plurality of different substances based upon the determined identities;
correlate drug interaction data for at least one of the plurality of different substances with at least one other of the plurality of different substances;
retrieve generic substance data for each of the plurality of different substances using the determined identities;
identify at least one generic substance of at least one of the plurality of different substances;
determine a price comparison between the identified generic substance and a brand name drug equivalent, and
simultaneously display the correlated drug interaction data, the at least one generic substance and the price comparison.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed using a mobile computing device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one external characteristic includes a pill marking or code.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substances comprise at least one drug.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data store of drug image data, the data store of drug interaction data, the data store of generic substance data and the data store of pricing information for brand name drugs and generic substances are disposed in a single database.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the marshalling apparatus comprises a gravity feed.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the marshalling apparatus comprises a conveyor belt.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the marshalling apparatus comprises a chamber.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pricing information is displayed as cost per unit amount or cost per quantity.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pricing information is displayed as a range of prices or as an average, either nationally or in a geographical subset.